Canes Football: Springing Into Action…

Another spring game is officially in the books and you can be sure there are going to be two completely different takes, as always.

For the first time in what feels like forever, Miami’s offense won in blowout fashion, 52-3. For some, it’s welcomed relief. The Hurricanes finally seem to have found an offensive coordinator in Mark Whipple.

Postgame comments from players heralded the new offensive schemes and overall ‘proactive vs. reactive’ game plan. More patterns for receivers. Different formations. Receivers throwing passes. Fullbacks lining up at wideout. Unbalanced offensive line sets. Whipple’s experience and know-how are more than just words on a resume. Everything that the green Patrick Nix wasn’t, Whipple is.

Of course the flip side is defense and you can guarantee the strides made offensively will be trashed by the Canes harshest critics (who ironically enough represent the orange and green.) Is Whipple offense making strides or is this a result of defensive setbacks and new coordinator John Lovett?

Personally, I believe it’s the mind and arsenal of Whipple… but I know this fan base well enough to know a handful of haters will twist and turn the facts to fit their conspiracy theory. Jacory Harris, arguably the player who will benefit most from a veteran coordinator, is a believer.

“Instead of doing plays that go against that defense, we make the defense play against us,” said Harris. “They have to adjust to us instead of us adjusting to them.”

As simple and obvious as that sounds, it’s hasn’t been the case for years. That mindset itself is as important as the actual plays being called. The offensive culture is finally changing at Miami. Finally. 

Thanks to modern technology and the ol’ Intraweb, I caught much of the spring game online and it was definitely a breath of fresh air. Miami isn’t “back” yet, if you choose to measure this team up against some Cane greats… but we’re seeing progress. Talent and depth are returning. This team truly looks like it can compete this year. Growing pains and mistakes will be there, but bar none this will be the best team Randy Shannon will field in his tenure.

Again, youth is key. How do the young players fare? Do last year’s super freshman enter a sophomore slump, or do the become the players they’re on target to be? What about the new crop of freshmen? Can they hit the ground running?

What about the stars of spring? Do they show up in fall or fade into obscurity? Anyone who watched the spring game or read the recap saw that cornerback-turned-running-back Damien Berry was Miami’s offensive superstar at Lockhart Stadium on Saturday.

With Javarris James on the bench and Berry splitting carries with veteran Graig Cooper and newbie Mike James, somebody had to shine and in this case it was #20. Exciting as that was, will that be the case come August? On more than one occasion a back up running back has led the pack in spring, only to be a non-factor with the season underway.

Leonard Hankerson, LaRon Byrd and Kendal Thompkins shone at receiver, each with a big play or two, but again the question remains regarding what this means for fall. Hankerson seems to drop more passes than he hauls in and Thompkins is yet to do it for real, redshirting his freshman season. Byrd looks like the next Miami great, but wasn’t consistently relied upon in Nix’s offense. How will he handle his sophomore season and added responsibility?

Harris was a respectable 9 of 16 for 141 yards on Saturday, while Taylor Cook all but solidified the job of back up with an 11 of 14 performance and 103 yards. Cook led the second-team offense on two scoring drives and seems to fit the mold of a Whipple-style quarterback. Cannon Smith went 6 of 8 passing for 31 yards and will most likely slid into the role of third string.

Defensively a lot of talk regarding the secondary. Some new blood in the mix there and a glaring weakness for the Canes last year. A lot of hype regarding Vaughn Telemaque, the highly-touted safety who missed last season, yet is a clear cut favorite to start in 2009. Telemaque has earned Ed Reed-like comparisons from Shannon, but again is another who is yet to see any real game action. 

Opposite of Telemaque, a veteran who has seen his fair share of game time but has battled injury, safety Randy Phillips, who fared well in the spring game with an interception — something Miami’s secondary rarely came up with last season. Waiting in the wings, true freshman Ray Ray Armstrong, who fans are already dubbing the next Cane great safety (… or linebacker) before he even sets foot on campus. 

Brandon Harris and DeMarcus Van Dyke look to have the corner spots locked up, but from a depth standpoint the Canes must also rely on a hot/cold Chavez Grant and converted receiver Sam Shields. This unit has to go from ‘weakest link’ last year to ‘overachiever’ this fall if Miami’s D is going to continue its turnaround.

After the scrimmage, Shannon focused on improvement. Seeing guys getting “it” and raising their level of play. The even keeled head coach realizes this is spring and that Miami is five months away from game action. Rebuilding is a process and right now it was all about taking another step forward. Get your guys stronger, smarter and better. Build depth. Get your underclassmen up to speed and playing like upperclassmen. Hope everybody stays healthy.

Hype is everything in sports and spring football has become part of the process that is college football. That said, the best approach is to follow that of Miami’s stoic head coach; remain even keel. We’re under half a year away from seeing college football Saturdays in fall… which is a little reminder that a lot can – and will – change between now and Labor Day in Tallahassee. Safest bet for all involved is to keep things in perspective.

Comments

comments